The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-10-29
A COMMERCIAL ARTERY.

have never indulged myself in the fascinating cry against "grinding monopolies." recognize the fact that such performance is lux ury within the reach of even our most humble citizen, hut fearful that l might neglect necessary du- ties in yielding to the dissipa- patton of denouncing corporations, I have, and laudably, too, I think, strangled what little aspiration might have had ill this direction. There is one railroad, however, against which l am constrained to raise my voice. It is the grand trunk line operated between that four ishing emporium, Cotton Bloom, and that commercial center, Riley's Cove. The president of this snort ing monopoly may have, through his ignorance of my great intlu- 0hOC, iViusOu Io loSuc Hic pdsS, put it is not on this account that l shall take to task his right of way. There is great deal of high moral prin- ciple about me, and when man is too deeply steeped in ignorance not to issue pass to me, 1 may turn from him in disgust, but I will not lay a hand of wrath upon him. I will sim ply show that he is unfitted by nature and lack of education to manage d great commercial artery. The presi- dent of the Cotton Bloom and Riley's Cove railroad acknowledged that he had never read any of my products and that he had not even heard of me. He made this acknowledgement in the presence of several influential gentle man and it is useless for him to at- tempt denial. But 1 suffer all this to pass. It is unworthy of me to treasure it up against man whose very ignorance is an impenctrable shield. Of the management of his road, however, l must speak, for, in that, the great and restless public is interested.
 Early on the morning of the coldest day ever experienced I boarded the train at'Cotton Bloom, intending to go over to Riley's Cove, to transact business for the Weekly Palladium, an influential five-column folio news- paper which I was at that time run ming, if I may use such swift term for such slow sheet, at Hogan's mill. In the battered coach there were five passengers and box of live quails, which the epicurean conductor was taking home. Two of the passengers were women. One of them, somewhat advanced in years, took out a short black pipe soon after the train started and began to smoke. This was to me cheerful spectacle, for although there were ladies in the car, would not be compelled to forego the pleasure of smoking. Lighted cigar. A woolly looking fellow, with eyes so watery that they had the appearance of con stant baptism by immersion, ap- preached me and as he pointed at my cigar said there were ladies present.
 "Yes," I replied, land see that one of them is smoking"
 "That's her lookout" he rejoined.
 "Yes, and is it not my look -out If smoker"
 "No."
 "Whose is it then?"
 "Mine."
 Thinking that he must be joking, I smiled.
 "You neenter titter," said he. "That lady is my aunt, an the doctors have lowed that smokin'Il help her. She has to stand her own smoke, but don't like it when it comes second handed ?
 He twisted the cigar out of my mouth and threw it on the floor. At first did not know whether it was my mouth or the cigar that had been thrown down. But I excused him. I am not carping man, a man to hold